Kashrut policy for Kehillat Nashira

At Kehillat Nashira, we are proud to have a diverse membership with all kinds of backgrounds and practices. This is something we celebrate and respect. 

The goal of these guidelines is to set a clear, accessible standard that allows all people in the community to prepare food at home for community potluck meals, while observing the laws of kashrut, Shabbat and Chag.

Rabbi Miriam is available to clarify or explain anything that may not be clear and also to support anyone who wishes to take new strides in their observance of kashrut or Shabbat.

For everyone:

When preparing food for Kehillat Nashira gatherings, all ingredients must be kosher - either approved on the KLBD or SKA list, or bearing a hescher, or foods which don’t need kashrut approval, such as pasta, rice, flour, whole fruits, nuts, seeds, tea, coffee etc. Feel free to check about specific ingredients with Rabbi Miriam. 

Please read the guidelines below carefully to ensure you are preparing food in line with our kashrut policy. 

For fresh fruit and veg, we ask that everything is thoroughly washed and checked for bugs before being cut or cooked. 

Preparing food for Shabbat / Yom tov:

If preparing food for Shabbat, all cooking must be complete before Shabbat begins. Washing and cutting veg for a salad is permitted on the day. 

We may only prepare food on Shabbat or Yom Tov which is going to be enjoyed on that day. So if you are making food for 2nd day Yom Tov, it can only be prepared before Chag, or on the day itself (not on 1st day Yom Tov). 

Cooking is permitted on Yom Tov. If you plan to cook on the day of Yom Tov, please ensure that you are doing so in accordance with halacha - lighting a stove from an existing flame, or with electrical equipment being turned on by a pre-set timer. 

To prepare food in a kosher kitchen

If your kitchen meets the following requirements, we are happy for you to prepare food as usual for Kehillat Nashira gatherings:

• You only cook kosher meat

• You keep meat and milk separate - including pots, pans, knives, boards, plates and cutlery 

• If you use the same oven for milk and meat, you never have milk and meat products in the oven at the same time, and clean any spills in between heating meat and milk 

• If you use the same dishwasher for milk and meat, you always run milk and meat dishes / utensils in separate cycles

• You only use products approved by KLBD, SKA or labeled with a reliable hescher (alongside any ingredients which don’t need kashrut approval, such as pasta, rice, flour, whole fruits, nuts, seeds, tea, coffee etc) 

• You only buy kosher cheese (cream cheese approved by SKA is fine, and other pure dairy products such as milk and yoghurt do not need to be approved).

  
  

Ways to prepare food without kashering equipment:

Regardless of your kitchen status, you can prepare a cold salad or fruit salad with utensils and serving pieces that have been washed thoroughly. Please ensure that neither the salad nor the dressing include any hot (charif) ingredients. Hot ingredients include ones that are physically hot and ones that taste “hot,” including onions, chilli and garlic, and additionally lemon. If you would like to use this type of ingredient, use a new and/or disposable knife and cutting surface.

While trickier than cold food, you can prepare hot food using disposable foil dishes, double wrapping the food that you are preparing in foil before it goes into an oven. Please ensure that only new, disposable or kashered utensils touch hot food. 

Please only mix dressings in a new or kashered container, even if all the ingredients are cold.

Ways to kasher equipment:

Oven: Clean the oven and turn on the highest heat for one hour, or run the self-clean function.

Stovetop: Clean the stovetop and then turn your burners on to their highest setting for several minutes.

Microwave: Clean the microwave, fill a bowl with water, and put it in the microwave for one minute on the highest setting so that the water boils.

Pots, pans and metal utensils: Do not use the item for 24 hours. Then fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil, then drop the item you wish to kasher by putting it into the boiling water and completely immersing it. 

Thank you for respecting these guidelines!

Sharing food is a very special community-building experience. We are grateful for the food you plan to share with the community, and for making sure that everyone in our community feels comfortable about kashrut.

Looking forward to delicious times together!